How Being Overweight Affects Your Thinking - Part 2

May 4, 2011

Interview with Dr. Daniel Amen, author of the book The Amen Solution: The Brain Healthy Way to Lose Weight and Keep It Off

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Mike Carruthers:
For good physical and mental health we need vitamin D and yet most of us don’t get enough.

Dr. Daniel Amen:
Low levels of vitamin D are associated with depression, dementia, obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure. It’s like oh my goodness! And what an easy fix is measure it in your blood, and if it’s low take a supplement or get more sun. 
 

Psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen, author of the book The Amen Solution

We’re not in the sun like we used to and if we are in sun because of the skin cancer scare we’re wearing sun screen so our bodies can’t absorb vitamin D from the sun it can’t make that chemical conversion and we have a vitamin D deficient society. Two thirds of us are low in vitamin D and oh by the way two thirds of us are overweight.

Proper brain function also requires enough sleep.

You know on average in 1900 Americans got 9 hours of sleep a night, now in 2011 we get 6 and a half. And what people don’t know is less than 7 hours of sleep at night is associated with lower overall blood flow to the brain – which means bad decisions. So low blood flow, bad decisions. And did you know that if you have sleep apnea (you snore loudly, stop breathing multiple times at night) doubles your risk for Alzheimer’s disease. And the best way to treat sleep apnea is to lose weight.

To hear the complete unedited interview, click here